9th June 2023, Mumbai: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife, Navjot Kaur, has made statements suggesting that her husband willingly passed on the chief minister’s chair to Bhagwant Mann, the current chief minister of Punjab. Kaur claimed that Arvind Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Delhi Chief Minister, had approached Sidhu to lead Punjab. However, Sidhu chose not to betray his party and gave Mann the opportunity instead. Kaur’s remarks come amidst a verbal exchange between Mann and Navjot Sidhu.
In a series of tweets, Navjot Kaur revealed what she referred to as a hidden secret. She stated, “CM, Bhagwant Mann; let me today open out a hidden secret from your treasure hunt. You should know that the very honourable chair you are occupying has been gifted to you by your big brother, Mr Navjot Sidhu. Your very own senior most leader had desired Navjot to lead Punjab.” According to Kaur, Kejriwal had approached Sidhu through various channels, recognizing his passion for Punjab and his potential to lead the state.
Punjab held elections in February 2022, and following the AAP’s significant victory, Bhagwant Mann assumed the role of chief minister. Kaur claimed that Kejriwal had approached Sidhu to lead Punjab, but Sidhu chose not to betray his party. She stated, “Just because he didn’t want to betray his party and thought that two strong-headed people might clash when it came to strategy to uplift Punjab, he gave you a chance.” Kaur emphasized that Sidhu’s primary concern is the welfare of Punjab, and he has made numerous sacrifices for the betterment of the state.
She further expressed that Sidhu’s dedication to Punjab is unwavering and urged Mann to stay true to the path of truth. Kaur stated, “You tread on the path of TRUTH, and he shall support you, but the moment you deviate, he will target you left and right. Golden Punjab state is his dream, and he lives it 24 hours a day.” These statements came in response to Mann’s criticism of opposition parties gathering in Jalandhar to support an editor who was under the vigilance scanner.
Navjot Sidhu responded to Mann’s remarks by accusing those who turn democracy into a vigilance system of moral lecturing and controlling Punjab as pawns. The incident refers to several leaders from various political parties who gathered in support of the editor-in-chief of the Punjabi newspaper ‘Ajit.’ The editor was being investigated by the vigilance bureau for alleged misuse of funds in the construction of the Jang-E-Azadi memorial in Jalandhar, worth Rs 315 crore.
It remains to be seen how these verbal exchanges between Bhagwant Mann and Navjot Sidhu will impact Punjab’s political landscape and the ongoing dynamics between the AAP and Congress. The statements made by Navjot Kaur shed light on the internal dynamics within the parties and the complex relationships between their leaders.
Article by PRITESH PATEL